I knew better. At minimum it would be almost thirty. But I needed him. The terror of being alone, unsafe, overrode all other fears. “Please,” I begged.
He disconnected, and I went into the bedroom, closed the door, hid in the corner, and stared at the clock.
Twelve minutes later, I heard the faint wail of a siren, and I knew Clay was coming. I slumped in relief when I heard him calling my name. I got up and rushed outside to meet him. He opened his arms, and I threw myself into them, burying my face in his chest. He held me to him, his fingers sliding through my hair. He was whispering, promising me I had nothing to be afraid of. I let him hold me, something I hadn’t let anyone do since the incident. I took comfort in his touch, his voice. He led me to the porch, sat me down, and held me until the tremors stopped.
A few moments later, I heard a truck, and I tried to stand, the fear making a resounding comeback. Clay held tight, reminding me everything was okay. When the headlights turned down the road, I clung to him. I had no rational explanation for my fears.
The vehicle came to a screeching halt, and the door burst open. When a man stepped out, Clay stood and called to the occupant, “We’re on the porch.”
A figure came around the side, and I had no idea who it could be until he stepped in front of the headlights. “Charlie,” I whimpered.
“I came as quick as I could. I brought what you asked for, Clay.”
They went to the back of the truck and lifted something from it. It took me a moment before I could understand what I saw. A door, and a pretty heavy one, if the huffs and puffs from the two men were any indication.
“Matt, we have to go inside. Is that going to be a problem?”
The urge to tell them to leave the door and I’d hang it myself almost overrode common sense. Clay and Charlie were big men, much larger than me. If they were having trouble hefting the door, how in the hell would I be able to do it myself? I nodded to my brother.
“No, you need to tell me. Is us going in there going to be an issue?”
“Yes,” I whispered, my fists clenched tightly at my sides. “But I need you to do it.”
“Okay.”
They went straight to it, removed the old door, then installed the new. I marveled at the way they worked together, Clay taking charge and making the process swift. The new door was much heavier than the one that had come with the house, and that added security calmed me. I could lock myself away again. I could….
“Clay?”
He glanced up from what he was doing, the hammer in his hand ready to tap at the hinge pins. “Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
He smiled at me, then went back to his task. It took them several hours to get everything done right, but when they finished, I breathed easier.
“Do you want some lemonade?” I asked.
Clay smiled, wide and genuine. “Nah, but thanks. I have to work in a few hours.”
It struck me then. Clay, the one who had just told me he wouldn’t call me again, had gotten up in the middle of the night, dragged Charlie with him, and come to my remote home because I’d been afraid.
“Thank you,” I whispered, overcome with emotion.
Clay reached out to touch me, but then let his hand drop. “It’s what brothers do,” he informed me. “If you ever need me, you call, and I’ll come running.”
“Same goes for me,” Charlie told me. “When Clay said you needed help, I didn’t even think about why. I came.” He stretched and yawned. “But now I need to get some sleep. Though I normally work the afternoon shift, the other librarian needed off, so I’m opening the library tomorrow.”
These two men humbled me. Clay had proved to me that despite my problems, he would be there for me. And Charlie? Charlie showed he didn’t care about the why—he only saw a friend in need. I wanted desperately to hug them both, to thank them. Instead I walked them to their trucks and we said goodbye.
After they left, I had to touch everything in my house twice. Their presence had been welcome in the dark of the night, but still it unnerved me. I sat in the kitchen, staring at the new door. The red-and-white paint job went surprisingly well with my decor. More importantly, the solidness made me feel far safer in my home than I had before.
And I had my brother to thank.
